gee whiz

English

Etymology

Alteration of Jesus.

Pronunciation

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /dʒiː wɪz/, /dʒiː ʍɪz/

Interjection

gee whiz

1. (US, dated) An expression of surprise, enthusiasm, or annoyance: wow or so what?

   You only got 10% in the test. Gee whiz – you'll get over it.

   • 1905, Lloyd Osbourne, Baby Bullet: The Bubble of Destiny, page 116:

     When people would get off they always gasped out: 'Gee whiz, what a horse! Gee whiz, did you ever see anything like that! '

   • 1959 April 23, “Beaver's Newspaper”, in Leave It to Beaver, season 2, episode 30 (television production), spoken by Theodore Cleaver (Jerry Mathers):

     Gee whiz, how do people have fun when they're married and have a family?

   • 1979, Walter Breen, The Darkover Concordance:

     That's the way I feel now; I just wrote the novels and made up the languages, and gee whiz, they make sense!

Adjective

gee whiz

1. (informal) Very good, impressive.

   These are some gee-whiz photographs.

Derived terms

• gee-whizzery